Glaucoma

Glaucoma Treatment Hazle Township and Stroudsburg

Glaucoma is referred to as “the silent thief of sight,” and is the second leading cause of blindness. This eye disease, at its most advanced stage, can cause a loss of vision and usually without any symptoms. Glaucoma is usually painless but can become more painful when the disease has reached its full potential. Glaucoma affects the optic nerve and if not treated early, the optic nerve can be completely damaged.

The fluid that fills the inside of your eye is called the aqueous fluid. The aqueous fluid acts like a filtering system for the eye. When too much aqueous fluid builds up inside the eye, it causes an intraocular pressure and this pressure can damage the optic nerve which is what sends images to the brain.

There are two major types of glaucoma and both types usually affect the peripheral vision first. Open Angle Glaucoma is the most common of the two and is determined by the presence of characteristic glaucomatous optic nerve changes but appears with a normal appearing of the trabecular meshwork. The trabecular meshwork is the drainage system of the eye.

Closed Angle Glaucoma is rare but can happen quickly and can be more painful at its latest stage. This glaucoma is usually characterized by the finding of abnormal blood vessels and scar tissue that physically block the drainage system of the eye, the trabecular meshwork. If the trabecular meshwork is closed, the intraocular eye pressure can increase and it must be relieved before the optic nerve is damaged.

Glaucoma is believed to be an abnormality of the drainage system. Although there isn’t a cure for Glaucoma, there are vision care treatments available that can relieve the intraocular pressure and will keep the pressure from building. It is important to start the treatment early and a routine eye examination is the best way to know whether or not you have glaucoma.